Reese

Does anyone else have trouble yawning? For a little over a week now when I'm not focused on something(really tired or really bored) I try to yawn but cant quite get my lungs to peak capacity.

My mom says its bronchitis, but I don't think she really understood the problem. I have no nasel congestion, and haven't coughed once. I'm pretty sure thats not it.

I looked at the symptoms of a few different things but nothing that really matches. Asthema, VCD and MVP are the closest but I pretty much ruled all those out because the yawning is the only symptom I have.

I read that it is caused by stress and anxiety but the only stress and anxiety I have in my life right now is this stupid yawning thing.

Does anyone else have any ideas what it could be causing it, or any home remedies that I might try before consulting a doctor?

I'm starting to think its all in my head. When I don't think about it, it's not a problem but as soon as I do think about it I feel the need to yawn and cant do it.

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sngx1275

I've had that problem before, don't believe there is anything physically wrong with you cause it sounds just like what I had. I had it for a few days and then it just went away and I was back to normal yawning, hopefully you'll pull out of it soon.

MacGnG

yawns are psychological as well as physical. if u see someone yawn u will most likly also. dont try to yawn and it'll happen

Reese

Thanks for the replies. My need to yawn has calmed some and it seems to be getting better. The right side of my chest has started hurting though. I think its because of the stress I put on my chest in the last few days. Sngx, did you have any chestpain the days following your problem?

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sngx1275

no chestpain actually, but you have inspired me to create my own chest pain thread. check it out. I'd provide a link but I don't have one and for some reason tfp decides after a certain time period we no longer need to have control over our posts.

mtbiker

can you take a full breath of air just normally? I've had similar problems where I yawn, but my rib cage won't open up all the way.
It's quite annoying. It went away after some time.

Reese

Chestpain is gone, it only hurt for maybe 3-4 hours, probally just a muscle acting up.

The yawning thing started when I started staying at a friends house for a few days for long hours. We were in the basement, and it was cold and musky. I quit going there just in case that was causing it. I'm not sure if thats the reason but it cant hurt. It seems to be getting better although its a little worse today than it was yesterday, but not near as bad as the first few days, I'm going to give it a few more days before making a doctors appointment.

Mtbiker, I can breathe normally even when jogging or jumping on trampoline. Those are the only real things I've done since it began. Its only that after about 5 minutes of normal breathing I have an urge to yawn and if I dont, it gets harder and harder to hold it in and I end up trying to yawn.

geez this is so hard to explain.

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Snead Hearn

mtbiker:
yeah< i thought maybe i'm the only one with this. i run just about every morning and to me it's pretty disturbing. it feels like i can't open my chest up all the way to satisfy my lungs. luckily it only happens a couple times a day, but i've considered trying an over-the-counter astma inhaler like "bronkaid mist"
if anybody has anything to add please lemme know. good luck to all!

Antagony

I've had chronic asthma from birth.

I can't tell you what's wrong with you guys, but I can tell you that it is most likely not asthma.

Sounds to me more like a stiff muscle. Try stretching our your torso and see how that feels.

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att83

I found this forum when I googled "trouble yawning"... I have also been having trouble yawning lately... I'll start to yawn and then can't get it all the way. It sounds really dumb but it's really awful. A few days ago, it was just a little at night, but now it is happening all day long too. I'm also having trouble taking a deep breath, I have to really try... but have never had athsma before. Have you found anything to stop this or what may be the cause?

ItWasMe

I occasionally have trouble yawning. I tend to yawn when going from a cold place to a warm place, or vice versa. But cold air, perfume, dust, or humidity can stifle it. Or a cold coming on. It doesn't hurt; the urge to yawn just stops part way through the yawn.

Anyone else yawn several times while reading this thread?

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ryfo

when iyawn right at the end i tend to spit a little i cant help it and dont know why i do it, it just happens...any ideas??

ChrisJericho

Att83 I had a similar problem a few years ago, it may or may not be what you have, obviously I am not a doctor.

Anyway, this was around senior year of college. I started getting this feeling that I needed to yawn, and I would start to yawn, but I couldn't complete it. And I would also start sighing a lot, and it felt like I couldn't get complete breaths even though I wasn't coughing or had any nasal congestion. It wasn't like a serious panic attack or anything, but it was annoying and burdensome.

So I went to my regular doctor, and he ran a bunch of tests, such as the machine you blow into to test your lung capacity, and he also had me do a blood test. Everything came back normal. Then I saw a nurse practitioner and she didn't really have any idea what was going on. I was getting very frustrated.

So then I saw a doctor that specializes in asthma and allergies and he diagnosed my problem pretty quickly. He said I had "Dyspnea" which is a pretty general term for shortness of breath. He asked if I had anything particularly stressful going on in my life and I replied that I didn't think my life was very stressful, just the usual college stuff and that I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. Of course he pointed out that the end of college is a very stressful time for most people, and I realized he was right. He also asked me other questions about when I get this desire to yawn/take deep breaths and it was always when I was awake, and usually if I was not actively doing something that kept my mind busy. I.e. if my mind was not occupied, it would drift off to dreading what I would do after college, I would then feel the need to yawn or breath deeply, I wouldn't be able to, and the cycle would just keep going on. It was getting to the point where I would wake up in the morning and dread having to yawn!

After I told him that he said now that I know what the problem is (and that it was purely mental and not physical) it would largely go away, and it did. Occasionally the feelings come back, but now when I feel them coming on, I just slow my mind down, and breath slowly through my nose (not sure if this will help you, it's just how I deal with it).

Hopefully this little story can be of use to you. Cheers.

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JustJess

So the moral of the story... is that stress can fuck you up in a myriad of interesting ways. The end.

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777

Oh, you have trouble yawning, I thought that you had my issue. I think I yawn too much.

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Reese

So this thread is over 4 years old now... wow...

I just saw the thread on the front page again and figured I'd do a follow up. I guess it was stress. I don't know what what originally caused it but I was told just the thought of having a panic "attack" is enough to trigger one. After a while I just learned it live with it and it went away.

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bonobomonkey

hi fellow chest stretchers!! this is a old thread but Ive only just come across it via Google search "trouble yawning" Ive had this problem for a while now and find it really hard to explain to people even my doctor he just gave me inhalers they didn't help as the problem in the first place is not being able to take a deep breath it felt like a belt around my chest so my rib cage wouldn't expand and let my lungs fill up, its a real pain especially when I'm at the gym trying to yawn on a tread mill, i can see my reflection and i look like a crazy person running with his mouth wide open the more aware i am that I'm trying to yawn the harder it gets. i don't know about you but when I'm trying to yawn I'm constantly thinking "am i going to" and "come on almost" then i try hold it out for as long as possible then give up! I'm not sure if its stress as i don't really get stressed it just comes and goes (I'm doing it...............now) im not sure if my post has helped anyone but im just chuffed that other people know what im talking about does anybody have any tips on sorting it out?
<---- smug little bugger!!

hrandani

Sleep more.

blktour

i read somewhere that yawning is becuase your brain is over heating and that the yawn gets quick cool air to your brain.. /hmmmm

if you are about to yawn. look at the sun, or a light bulb. or bright light.

it works for me everytime. i told my family that, and they all do it now also.

also with sneezing also.. i am weird like that. lol

Den

wow I thought I was alone with this problem,
I have had the exact same thing for going on 3 years now, I cant complete my yawns and it gets worse as the day progresses, when i do get a real one its like heaven, I know i sound like a yawn junkie but Its a pain in the ass, I had to leave my job as it was affecting me so bad, the docs don't know what the hells going on I've had sleep studies and tests all came back good, but I don't feel like its in my head its a physical reality for me and it is more than a nuisance, it gives me this full on fatigue feeling from the bottom of my lungs like a weight on my chest to the top of my head behind my eyes kinda, basically it totally drains me, anyway thats my sob story and I'd give my left arm for a cure. or at least a diagnostic. but the fact that i am not alone with this is a small load off my mind thanks.

Den

wow I thought I was alone with this problem,
I have had the exact same thing for going on 3 years now, I cant complete my yawns and it gets worse as the day progresses, when i do get a real one its like heaven, I know i sound like a yawn junkie but Its a pain in the ass, I had to leave my job as it was affecting me so bad, the docs don't know what the hells going on I've had sleep studies and tests all came back good, but I don't feel like its in my head its a physical reality for me and it is more than a nuisance, it gives me this full on fatigue feeling from the bottom of my lungs like a weight on my chest to the top of my head behind my eyes kinda, basically it totally drains me, anyway thats my sob story and I'd give my left arm for a cure. or at least a diagnostic. but the fact that i am not alone with this is a small load off my mind thanks.

sorry dont know why that posted twice

Willravel

Exhale completely, then bring your knees to your chest. Count back from 10 slowly as you concentrate on relaxing. Then take slow, deep breaths.

I use albuterol for asthma, but for this inability to enjoy a yawn I simply remove the crap from my lungs (crap meaning low oxygen air).

MSD

I have asthma and get this sometimes. Ironically, when I smoke (I only do tobacco when I'm drinking) I can get up to full lung capacity and it clears up any asthma or shortness of breath I had.

Ustwo

Thats not ironic really.

One theory of asthma which is the only one which gives a good evolutionary explanation is that asthma is an over reaction by defense cells to minor irritants.

Under 'normal' conditions, aka the last few 100K years of humanity, there are so many parasites and irritants that the cells keep busy. Smoke from the constant fire, dirt, dust, pollen, etc are assailing our lungs and the cells deal with them.

Under current conditions, these irritants are vastly reduced. When a small amount are present these cells of yours go into overdrive and over react to this minor irritant.

One way to eliminate this his to of course, remove that minor irritant, a clean room way of living. Obviously this is rather difficult to achieve so there will be times when it will flare up and then you take corticosteroids to reduce the inflammation caused by this over reaction.

But.....

Another way to eliminate it, at least in some people, is to give the defensive cells what they expect, lots of irritants. In your case smoking would do just that, keeping those cells all busy and happy and not going into an asthma flare up. Obvously smoking has enough risk to not want to use it as a regular cure.

Evolutionarily this is the only explanation for asthma that makes any sense, its so pervasive in the population there most likely needs to be a reason so many have it beyond a genetic defect. Many genetic 'diseases' look more and more to have some benifit at some point where the disease did more good than harm in the past due to living conditions. The concept of 'modern pollutants' causing asthma has been pretty well shot down by recent studies, and there is other evidence as well. Most of it is circumstantial but its a pretty good pile of it. My source is on my desk at home so for the person I know right now dosnt believe me, I'll be happy to send it to ya.

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Hain

Anyone else yawn while reading this? No joke.It still would seem ironic. My friend has asthma and smokes for this same reason though. It just seems weird as smoking is what made my cousin's lungs go to shit.

My thoughts: It's probably psychological and not a response in order to quickly oxygenate your body.

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Ustwo

Smoking makes your lungs go to shit because the body can't keep up with the crap you put in there. I don't know if the study has been done but it would be interesting to see if people who's asthma is improved with smoking are also more resistant to the negative effects of smoking. Since smoking would go against the past concept of asthma odds are it would be difficult to find enough people to give a good enough sample size. You would need people who had asthma, were properly diagnosed then started smoking all while not taking asthma medications.

I don't understand what you mean with the psychological response though.

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Hain

He either saw someone else breath heavily or yawn. Whenever I see someone yawn I get that same "gotta yawn" feelin' but it is not the full intake as if I woke up a few minutes ago.

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Ustwo

Ah from the OP, I thought you were talking about the asthma side track.

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Hain

Yeah while typing I moved my hand pointing behind me indicating I was referring back to an earlier part of the conversation... I really need to work on translating how I talk in real life to understandable sentances.

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Ago366

I'd like to add my experience. It might give a little insight, but I really don't know what it is either. It seems to be what you're all describing.

It happened to me quite suddenly and it came on very strong. I was 22 and in college, almost 3 years back. I couldn't miss class, so I drank a cup of my mom's coffee. I hadn't had caffeine for years and she is quite resistant to it, so, in retrospect, it was pretty dumb to drink her HEAVILY caffeinated brand. It happened as I was on my way to class. I always just figured I had shocked my system but of course I really can't say for sure what happened. Instinct told me to be extraordinarily calm the next few days, and I was. I was completely blissful and the problem just persisted.

It was about a year before a full yawn was possible again, so I assumed it had to be physical. I thought it was my heart because it seems to pound "harder" or faster than usual. The problem with that is that I can't figure how a heart problem would prevent me from making a full yawn. Perhaps my heart accelerated because of my lungs? Maybe it was some kind of chemical imbalance or something regulating my system was thrown off? Nerve problem? It's just so hard to explain, and a bit weird.

I'm having many of the same frustrations as others here. The doctors performed lots of tests and had no clue. They gave me samples of all kinds of medications related to panic attacks, breathing and heart problems. It was rather disturbing, so I didn't use any of it. Most people seem to not quite get or not believe what I'm saying. It's not the desire to yawn, but the inability to yawn. My mental state effects it, but something has physically changed my biology.

When I attempt to yawn, I sometimes try to straiten out my posture, and stretch my chest. That doesn't work so much, but helps. I had already practiced meditation, and I notice a big difference in my ability to yawn when I do that. Slowing my heart rate seems to help, or generally clearing my mind. It often happens when I drive, which can be stressful I suppose, even though I often found driving as a stress reliever.

It's still with me. I just learned to adapt, and at least now I can yawn half the time instead of not-at-all.

jmcdaniel_ee

Ok, I didn't find very many threads about this: I experience this exact problem. I experience it a few times a year, and it usually lasts a week or two, but I've had 2 bouts with it in the last few months (one presently). It always has to do with calming down/slowing my metabolism. It can drive a person crazy, because you can't get that "calming feeling" of a yawn, or a sigh/deep breath. Like others described, it feels like there's something taking up space in your lungs, or a belt around your rib cage or something. Also, after several days, your chest and back start to hurt from straining so much. And you do wonder if you look like a total idiot with your mouth open, searching, trying to find that yawn that just won't come. And when it finally does, you feel like high-fiving the nearest person. It also gives you problems calming down and going to sleep at a decent hour.

Here's what I've noticed when it happens to me:
I can still breathe, I just can't breath in a satisfying/filling manner. My lower diaphragm breathing is still just fine. I can intake air down there. However, I can't get full breaths when I breathe with my chest. This doesn't pose so much of a general breathing problem, as much as a metabolism-slowing problem. I need my upper chest breathing to yawn and sigh. This doesn't seem like that big of a deal to someone who's never experienced it, but imagine 1. NOT being able to CALM DOWN, and 2. being frustrated and stressed because of the very fact that you can't calm down, and it all revolves around the problem of not being able to breathe (or at least feeling like you can't). I do feel like I'm going to hyperventilate and even worry that I'm going to pass out, but so far it's never happened. It's like the concept of waterboarding--it seems like an almost insignificant PHYSICAL action, but it has inense PHSYCHOLOCIAL effects (although fortunately, I'm sure it's not as bad as being waterboarded). It is not asthma: I can perform strenious activities just fine. I occasinally run a couple of miles around my neighborhood and experience no breathing problems at all. I'm a vocalist in my spare time, so I have a pretty nimble diaphragm too. I can't stress enough though, that this is an actual PHYSICAL problem. I've had dozens of people tell me I'm too stressed, or that I'm thinking too much about yawning, but I'm a very stable person mentally. It's not just my imagination.

My health: I'm 28, 5-9" and weigh 145 lbs. I jog on occasion. I eat a pretty healthy diet (my wife is always watching our food content). At most, I have one cigar per week, and I've never smoked habitually. I have two other ailments that I'm aware of: 1. menier's disease (an inner-ear equilibrium disorder that affects me a few times per year--I take a weekly single dose of a diuretic [the same as perscribed to high-blood pressure sufferers]) and 2. hyperhydrosis (excessive sweating in my palms). Does anyone else share either of these problems?

What I've done: I've been to a resperatory specialist, and described my symptoms to him. Unfortunately, by the time of my appointment, the breathing problems subsided. He said that he's heard about what I described, but didn't know much about it! (So physician ignorance of this is apparently quite common) He said to make an appointment the next time it occurs, but I never did, because my bouts don't last long enough to reach a scheduled appointment. I also had x-rays that revealed nothing. I've had my lung capacity tested as part of my work related physical exams, and they are fine. Also, no bouts directly correspond to excessively stressful times in my life. (I went through a divorce and don't remember experiencing any bouts!) On top of this, I don't have a stressful job, and I'm not a high-stress person. My first bout happened about 7 years ago in college in no particularly stressful time (~2002).

Here's what I've been looking into:
Q: Do this bouts appear in conjunction with seasonal allergies and/or the aftermaths of minor colds? A: Maybe, but not always.
Q: Does this have anything to do with post nasal drippage? A: Maybe. At some point in my childhood I remember talking to other kids about how I can suck from my sinuses down my throat and swallow (it makes a squeezing sound in my head). I know it sounds gross, but I've been doing it all my life, and that's what post-nasal drip is. But it seems like some people couldn't. If this is true, maybe my throat, lungs, whatever, is getting filled up with more mucus.
Q: Is it thyroid related? Today, I read about iodine deficiency (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodine_deficiency) and thyroid problems (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyroid). Among other things, the thyroid releases hormones to regulate metabolism. Perhapse it's those hormones we feel when we reach a yawn or deep breath/sigh and feel the calming sensation. One explanation for thyroid problems is idoine deficiency (iodine is synthesized in the thyroid to make particular hormones). I've realized we switched to non-iodized salt at some point in the past. Does anyone else use non-iodized salt? Somehow, I don't think this is the problem though, even though it sounds like a good explanation.
Q: Is it related to some type of pollutant in the air, that some are more sensitive to than others? I don't know. I lived in two different areas of my state (Louisiana), one in a smaller, wooded city, one in a medium industrial city. I doubt the same pollutants could exist everywhere, and not affect more people than it has.

But anyway, I found this place immediately when I searched "yawning difficulty" so I figured I'd leave this message and we can keep this thread going, and eventually someone may come up with an answer. I know I would LOVE to be rid of this problem.

Keep talking about it. We've all experienced doctors who haven't been of any help, so maybe we'll have to figure this one out ourselves

James
(I just got a sweet yawn while wrapping this up! High five!)

Reese

I still get affected by this every now and then. It's been 6+ years since I made this thread. Nobody knows anything, Like you said, It's not something you can schedule a doctor's visit around.

It's at least partly psychological for me. It's like the urge to yawn is the problem and the inability to finish the yawn is your body's way to telling you it doesn't need to yawn and doesn't aid you in the process.

I've decided it's not stress. I have little stress in my life when it occurs. When I am stressed it doesn't happen because I have other things on my mind and I don't give it any attention.

To answer your questions, I haven't noticed a relation to colds or sinuses. I have mild post nasal drip. There have been some thyroid problems in my family, I'm not sure on the details though and while I can't rule it out, it doesn't feel like the problem. I've lived in a pretty rural area that's mostly trees and farmland my whole life.

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dougalputt

Sorry but I wouldn't really know

annie

What a discovery this thread is! I am not crazy,I am not alone with this annoying
problem.This is my third winter having this problem,for me it occurs in late
January,early February.First time it happened I went to my doctor,I did have a
cold about medium to high intensity.Doctor looked at me like she had never heard
of such a thing,reinforcing my belief that I was going crazy.It lasted about 10 days
and dissapeared.Next winter more of the same.There was a severe virus making
it's way around our community so when I broached the subject again with my Dr.
she said several people had come in with the same problem and that it was more
than likely related to the virus.Also said it was like the telling someone not to
think about the pink elephant in room,the more you try not think about it the more
you think about it.She called it 'Hard Air' but I have not been able to find any info
on hard air that wasn't related to flying airplanes.She suggested trying ventilon to
open the airways and adavan for stress.Did not try either of these because I was
already clost to 10 day mark.I was now convinced it was related to colds and flus.
This is now my third winter with this distressing issue and I have had an extremley
healthy year(there goes my theory).I have been going through a stressful time
at work,but consider myself a calm person not prone to drama or overreacting.Have
been back to the Dr. who said to give it another 10 days (I am now on day 11 things
are improving slightly).I have never suffered from allergys ,do not smoke,and aside
from genetic high blood pressure and high ldl cholesterhol (controlled by diet and
exercise) I am healthy and fit.My Dr. has assured me that I am not crazy,but has
no answers.It is particularly troubling at work as the eccessive efforts to yawn cause
my eyes to water quite a bit.People are always asking me if I am ok? I am sure rumors
are flying that I must be troubled because I am crying all the time...Do not often
explain because you always get that look of confusion.I live on the west coast of
British Columbia and our winters are usually very wet for a long period of time so I
think maybe mould is a factor.Although the winter of 08/09 was 5 months of snow
and ice..In conclusion I don't know what's causing this inability to yawn,but will
continue checking this thread in case a brilliant person out there diagnosis the problem
and puts us all out of our misery.Thank you to all who have written,it's nice to know
I am not alone...

jose69483

I am having the same problem from last 10 years too....
cant exactly explain this thing in front of doctor....but i am having exactly same problem...
I am 19 years male. Living a sound life. Dont have any sort of problem in my life. By that i mean i dont have anything to worry about i.e sort of anxiety etc...

When this occurs 10 years ago, i was very humiliated that what the hell is wrong with me. I cant yawn completely at that time. But as the time goes on, it becomes easy for me to yawn completely but the yawn is still not gone. After every 20 - 30 secs, there is a weird feeling i get. I mean it feels like i have to yawn now.

I didn't told about this problem to anyone except the doctor once.

Few months ago, I tried to overcome this problem. I planned not to yawn at any cost. So I did it. I breathe from my nose almost a whole day and resisting not to yawn. At one point i almost got close to yawn but i still resisted it by looking at the sky or anything else. The whole day passed on like this. The next day when i woke up, the yawning was greatly reduced. now it I yawn after every 90 - 100 secs. So i tried it again next day but then it remained same.

So i made this "yawning" the part of my life. There is nothing anyone can do to fix this problem. But sometime when i tried not to Yawn, I dont Yawned for almost the whole day. But next day, its back again....

luvcorndogs

I also have trouble sometimes "completing" a yawn, and the excessive need to yawn. I was at my Chiropractor's office getting an adjustment on my neck, and he noticed me trying to yawn. I noticed him watching me, so I explained my issue. He said there was a vertebrae out in between my shoulder blades and it was pressing on a nerve in my back that was triggering that response. He gave me an adjustment, and within a few minutes, the problem went away!

My only issue is, I don't have the money to go to him every time I need to, so I just hope for a morning where I wake up and something fixed itself in my sleep